Over 300 kids were treated in hospital for drug poisoning last year, with many of the cases involving common household medicines.

Out of those affected, 131 children had ingested common household medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol and 29 had taken sleeping pills, as well as drugs to treat epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

Just six children were poisoned by antibiotics in 2017.

And 17 youngsters ended up in hospital after taking illegal drugs including heroin, cocaine and cannabis.

A Freedom of Information request sent to the HSE by the Irish Daily Mail found that out of 3,739 drug poisoning cases, 332 involved children under 15.

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Campaigners are now calling for children to receive more education on drugs.

Bernie McDonnell of Community Awareness of Drugs said parents need to be aware of the dangers posed by household medicines as well as illegal drugs.

She said: "Young people are taking anything they can get their hands on if they wish to deliberately self-harm.

"Our main issue here is that parents generally do not realise that something as innocent looking as paracetamol can be associated with such harm. You could have a packet in your bag, a packet on the window sill in the kitchen and another up beside the bed. Less than 20 can be fatal."